Student Preassessment for Distance Education
- By Anastasia Trekles
- 10/12/04
Purdue University-Calumet, the second-largest campus in the Purdue University
system, based in urban Hammond, Indiana, boasts an ever-changing and diverse
student population of more than 9,000 commuter students. A large percentage
of these are non-traditional students, including returning adults with myriad
family and work responsibilities.
The School of Education requires a course in technology skills for the classroom
teacher in its undergraduate teacher education curriculum. Traditionally, this
course--EDCI 260: Introduction to Computers in Education--has been held in a
20-workstation teaching lab, where students complete a wide array of projects,
from creating PowerPoint presentations to developing Web-based instruction.
During the first semesters of the course's inception nearly ten years ago, a
large number of students encountered serious challenges in learning the software
tools; for some, EDCI 260 was their first intensive work with a computer.
Times have changed a great deal. More students have access to technology off
campus, and many of them have skills far beyond typing and e-mail retrieval.
Some began to report that they were bored in their EDCI 260 classes, especially
when other students asked for additional instruction or remediation during class
time. So, it was decided that one section of the course would be offered via
distance education, with the same assignments and objectives as the traditional
course, so that those who wanted to could work at their own pace could do so.
However, as the number of distance education courses continues to grow at Purdue
Calumet, no standardized method of preassessment has been defined, leaving it
up to individual departments and faculty members to develop their own strategies.
Registration for the first semester of the distance learning section of EDCI
260 consisted of many different types of students: Some were indeed there to
challenge their computer skills, but others had registered simply because it
fit into their busy lives. Even though advisors were instructed to warn students
that access to a computer and the Internet was necessary, some initially registered
did not even own a computer. A number had very limited technical skills and
had trouble even accessing the Blackboard-based course. Others found themselves
struggling to understand the readings and complete assignments on their own,
within the time given.
Obviously, there was a problem. Assessment of students before they registered
for distance learning coursework had to become a crucial step in the advising
process in order for the right students to be placed in the right section. The
solution put in place: If a student expresses interest in registering for the
course, she must speak with an advisor. Although Purdue University Calumet has
an online registration system, the course has been "flagged" so that
students cannot self-enroll without first getting approval.
During the advising process, the student is asked to fill out a short survey.
Currently, this comes from the University of Illinois' Illinois Online Network
(http://www.ion.illinois.edu/IONresources/onlineLearning/selfEval.
asp), which
is a project to advance Internet-based learning based at the university's main
campus in Champaign, Illinois. The survey asks questions about the student's
abilities to spend extra reading and study time, to work individually, and to
access and use technology. In addition, the student is asked about her value
of and needs for face-to-face instruction and social interaction. When finished,
the assessment recommends whether or not the student is ready for distance education,
and the advisor places her accordingly. This survey has served us well but a
new one, based within the Purdue Calumet network for easier and more comprehensive
tracking of student responses, is being developed for the Spring 2005 semester.
In practice now for four semesters, this process has not, unfortunately, provided
a comprehensive solution. Often lacking self-assessment training, students are
not always honest enough with themselves to truly reflect on their own learning
styles and time management abilities before completing the survey. Some believe
that simply because they can navigate the Internet and create Microsoft Word
documents, that they have all of the technical skills they need. But this is
a course about education technology, where they are asked to take those basic
skills farther and create educationally appropriate multimedia and instructional
Web pages. Those students with a weaker skill set find themselves struggling
without guided assistance from a real person (who is not always available at
midnight on a Saturday when some students do distance learning coursework).
So what else can be done to ensure that all students get the opportunity to
be successful in EDCI 260? Recommendations from the faculty and students indicate
that in addition to the distance learning needs survey, students should be expected
to demonstrate key technical skills before registration, including searching
on the Internet, creating a document with formatting features such as alignment
settings and page numbers, manipulating onscreen graphics and icons, and sending
attached files. If proficiencies proved to be lacking, the student would complete
a basic computer skills course before entering EDCI 260. A face-to-face orientation
at the beginning of the semester may also be required soon for all distance
learning students, where initial problems and questions can be addressed in
real time and the students can become acquainted with their instructor.
It is hoped by those interested in furthering distance learning at Purdue Calumet
that the School of Education's work in developing better assessment strategies
for distance learning students will provide a model for the rest of the university.
Addressing the unique needs of Purdue Calumet's diverse student population is
a continuing challenge, but if these strategies are successful, it will show
in the enhanced success and retention rates of our students.